Ch 24 - What brews in the dark

Agr, this is going nowhere, why does this happen, how could those damned barbarians fail at their task. Fuck not only they failed to shave the Pegasus army, they couldn’t even kill the prince...

“That’s why I’m saying this, let’s stop arguing among ourselves we have to make our move now or we may lose this chance”

“Not only the Pegasus army is almost intact, the prince is alive, now that fucking little girl got a squad of her own, did you read the members? She got the best youths that we wanted to recruit”

Lord Varth another noble like me that’s not related to the Knights voiced his argument, very much in line with my own; he must be as tired of this freaking meeting as I am.

“Oh come on Lord Varth, did you really though the cousin would ever join anyone else? Based on what we have seen and investigated she would have never left the Pegasus daughter’s side.”

Lady Auelin speaks mockingly as usual, not only being the dean of the Covert Arts of the RA, she is one of the High Generals of Imil, one truly fearful woman.

“What are you trying to say Lady Auelin? There was never a chance with the prodigy you yourself groomed all those years?”

Lord Fertrand threw a question towards the lady, this fat man is the brother of lady Rawkin (mother of Grant and Mitchell Rawkin), his anger towards the Decebal’s is no small matter, having his sister, nephews and business partner exiled was a huge blow to his businesses and family.

“Never.

When she entered the RA and passed the test I was highly impressed, never before had someone been even close to my own entrance test record, and she simply surpassed it, that’s why I thought that she was the one that I wanted to nourish and pull to our side.

But the little girl’s attachment to her cousin is too strong, not only that, as years went by even I couldn’t tell how she did what she did.

I have never seen anyone detect my presence once I hide, and I have never failed to feel the presence of people hidden around me...

Like the 12 that our cordial and distrustful host has hidden in this very room”

What is she talking about? Are there hidden guards hidden in this room? What is Lord Thronir thinking? Isn’t he also a high general? He should know what the one with the title “the Obscure” is capable of doing.

“They are not here to spy on us as you are most certainly well aware Lady Auelin, they are here to make sure no one gets in or spy on us.”

Well for better or worse we have 8 High Generals on our side, if we move now we should be able to get the Earnest faction decimated without much loses on our side.

“I’m aware, if they were sir, they would be already dead. It was not a display of animosity, but a point establishing comment.

So back to my topic, she is out of our grasp, but she wasn’t the only one I groomed personally, her cousin gained a fair amount of enmity during her run in the RA, there should be more than enough knights willing to aid us.

We should forget about the kids in the new squad and focus on our next steps very very carefully. Acting harshly and with haste will only bring us danger and exposure.”

“So what should be our next step then? It seems Lord Rowlin is rather eager for us to actually move right away”

Agr isn’t it obvious dammit...

“We should act now, Higg is injured and the town is on low alert, isn’t this the best chance we have right now?” these damned fucks seem to not understand the severity of the issue at hand.

“Why are you in such a rush Rowlin? We can’t just start

War inside Imil, that would be the worst mistake ever”

Shit, who’s talking about wars...

“Who is talking about war? Assassinate the fucker, so...”

“And who do you think should perform this task? How many of you would actually go through this? If the prince dies in war outside Imil is one thing but having him killed inside, is just not an option for me are you simply dumb lord Rowlin?”

The figure sitting in the shadows finally spoke; better bow my head down, wait and see where this leads.

“So my lady, how you imagine we should proceed? I agree that assassination is a bad idea, an investigation would be awfully detrimental to us right now”

The female stood up and with a grin on her face started speaking

“How about we go about it this way...”

-------------------

“Are you serious Dom?”

I can’t believe he’s suggesting doing that at this time, awawa Gat is not going to like it. I hadn’t brought it up since we were little kids because she got ridiculously mad at me.

“I’m always serious Gat, if you want it to work the way you want, it has to be done. The sooner the better”

“Ali, Dom, we have to go somewhere else to speak of this”

“~paaaa~ And where would that be gat ~pyon~”

I knew it she didn’t like it, and I don’t like Gat mad, well the one who’s probably going to get a serious beating is stupid Dom...

“Find us a place secure enough with no ears around”

We walked outside the castle until we got deep into the forest in the northern side of the district; it should be no problem here, after retracting my energy there are no spies around, it’s safe here, so let’s act it up.

“~tehehe~ here is ok Gat ~puu~”

Not a second after I inform that is ok to speak here I’m frozen in place, yes she is without doubt not just tapping it, she can clearly control it as if she had awoken, I’ve felt it before but when I asked she told me that she was just “tapping” it, so she can actually lie to me... That’s new.

It’s as if I’m standing in front of the Gatriel of old, that overwhelming and oppressing presence, the all-powerful and commanding Heavenly Commander, she is without a doubt in front of us right here and now.

“Gat since when you can use it?”

Dom expression is mixed with fear and awe; I wonder what’s going through his mind right now? Hehehe this is going to either be fun or end up badly, I may have to intervene and stop her from going overboard.

“~nee nee~ why don’t you both calm a second, Dom you should not anger her, you feel it don’t you? With every fiber of your body, your soul should be screaming to you right now, who is the one in front of us right now ~pup~”

Oi oi oi Gat, don’t give me that stare. I’m not trying to make you madder, It’s just to make him understand his mistake, blood binding is no joke, I agree with you, at least not yet, oh well let’s see how does this unfolds.

“Gat you sure understand they may have pledged loyalty and swore to obey and follow you, but you can’t say for certain that without the blood binding they will never betray you.

Indeed they won’t benefit from the awakening gifts but you can renew the contract once it happens, wouldn’t it then be beneficial to them too?”

Oh, I can move, it seems Dom logic is either working or she calmed herself a little bit, seems I can keep my secrets for a bit longer... wouldn’t want gat asking a question about it right now.

“~ehe~ Gat sorry but I agree with Dom ~wawa~”

Gat hasn’t said a word, but the air feels better, let me walk and stand beside Dom, that way I can act faster if anything happens; anyway I agree with Dom, his logic is sound. I plan to bind some of the best spies under my command soon enough, even though I’m certain she won’t like it. Oh seems she will speak let’s hear it

“When you noticed I could use it Dom? It isn’t like I’m flaunting it out in the open”

“When we met, you may not have intended for it, but you were coated in it, thin almost imperceptible layer covered you, it showed me that either was total mastery or a reaction to our encounter, and just so you know, I can’t use it yet, I know is close but it’s not yet within my grasp”

Oh so lil Dom still can’t use it that is actually surprising, considering he is older than us.

“It was neither or rather let’s say was more a reaction to the situation. At that time I thought that you and Ali would end up facing each other, and I didn’t want that to happen, many would have died. Considering Aly can use it too, I thought that I needed to be ready.”

What? So she actually knows I can use it too... she never ceases to amaze me, oh well that’s why I follow her is it not? Beyond that what I feel for her as a friend, family, her personality is what I love the most, as long as it doesn’t get darkened tho that’s one gat I don’t want to see ever again.

“~he he~ so you knew! You keep surprising me today ~papa~”

That’s a cute smile you got there on your face Gat, and what’s with the astonishment in your face Dom? He oh well he must feel somewhat slow I guess... hmmm what’s this? Someone entered my field of detection

“What’s happening? Ali?”

“Someone is coming, trying to hide their presence, let’s see what’s this about, hide ~pyon?~”

Deftly in a second the three of us jumped on trees, and waited, I can’t even feel Gat’s presence even tho I can see her, she’s gotten better at this, Dom is not worse. Now to the task at hand, who are those people?

“Are you sure?”

“Yes was about in this area, I felt some seriously unnerving energy”

Hoho, so he could pinpoint Gat’s energy this accurately, I wouldn’t expect less of her right hand, but what are...

“The Lady ordered us to keep the area secure, 2 miles around the Dhakan estate; we have to find whoever is or was here”

“Isn’t 2 miles around too paranoid? It’s impossible to hear anything from that faraway”

“It’s not about listening, you just do your stuff, I’ll do mine, just keep a look around”

“I think you are overthinking it, there is no one here, already searched”

What’s going on? This is unexpected; still Gat’s signal is the same, keep still. Maybe she is waiting for them to leave on their own.

“There are some foot tracks here, 3 persons it’s fairly recent but...”

“shh”

Damn it all we wanted was to meet in a place without interruptions, we either go down and dispose of them or wait for them to leave, what’s going to be Gat?

“Let’s return, indeed I see the foot tracks but I can’t feel anyone here, and no matter how hard I look I can’t see anyone”

“Let’s send some shadows to investigate once we return”

“Let’s”

Hmmm they went away, let me signal gat to go further in the forest, then leave through another way to avoid that state that’s being watched.

“Who were those guys?”

“~tehe~ those were men from The Obscure ~uhum~”

“Let’s go somewhere else and finish this conversation”

Imitating Dom I just nod to Gat’s words and we left the scene, but what the heck was that I’m a bit too curious now, what could be the Dean doing in the Dhakan estate?